On Monday. Dallas and I spent a lot of time finishing filling holes, welding details, and smoothing welds. Tuesday night, Steve came over and fitted the dash bar, one of the rear leg braces, and picked up the clamps for the front suspension for a little touch up machining. Wednesday, Dallas picked up the car to transport back to his place. He spent Wednesday night and Thursday night cleaning, scraping, removing undercoating, stripping the floor pans and engine bay, and getting us ready for paint. He also cleaned and painted the transmission. Paint was a half used can of cast coat aluminum he had on the shelf. This is all Dallas, by himself. I'm really impressed by this. Really impressed.

Friday night, i went over after work to help. We did more of the same, and started to wipe down for paint. I didn't take any pictures, and neither did he. I did do a little shopping on the way home though, in preparation for Saturday. Thats a whole lotta crap in the trunk of a miata that doesn't count towards the Challenge budget.

Saturday rolled around. Sunny, cold, and windy. Perfect painting conditions! So, Dallas, Dustin, garret, and I got an early start at about 11am by drinking coffee and staring at things. We decided that the car was not going to paint itself around 11:30, and decided to actually do something. We vacuumed, used the air nozzle in all the nooks and crannies, taped up all the exterior paint and door jambs with a combination of plastic landscaping sheeting, floor underlayment paper, used making tape, cardboard, painters tape, and sheets. Pushed it up onto some old ramps from a used car dealership out in the field, and hosed the underside with brake-clean and wiped the interior and engine bay with lacquer thinner. Now, a not about the thinner. Garret scored a half full 5 gallon can from a job site sometime last year for free, and we used about a half gallon throughout the process. Since he didn't pay anything for it, we don't feel bad about not including it in our budget even though we used some to mix with the tractor paint to thin it to spray it. If this is wrong, let me know. Anyway, this is how you DONT prep a car for paint. Also, as Mr safety, since the ramps were pretty wobbly, we used a rope and tied off to a backhoe for added stability. [URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/dusterbd13/media/amc/E_zpsytgtltra.jpg.html] [img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/duste

So up next was spraying the industrial enamel. None of us has ever used an HVLP gun before. Or any kind of sprayer. But I watched a few other guys do it, and I figured it couldn't be that darned hard. So I volunteered to be the spray guy. Dustin works at a paint store, so he was paint mixer. Dallas was gopher, and garret was designated beer drinker. We first tried loading a little into the gun straight from the can. Did not spray. So then Dustin started cutting it with “enough” Lacquer thinner. Unknown what ratio, but generally 2/3 paint, 1/3 thinner mixed straight in the guns. Worked good enough once I figured out what all the knobs did. We also made sure to take the minimum number of safety precautions possible. After all, I am mr safety... Sunglasses, long sleeves, and a toboggan to keep paint out of my hair. Three heavy coats later (almost the whole gallon of paint) we pushed the car back inside and unwrapped it. Pretty darn happy with how it turned out!

Later this week, well try to get the drivetrain back in it, and start reassembly and plumbing.

Little budget housekeeping first: We removed the long tubes (10), boom tubes (25), gauge cluster (32) one seat (20, and only for the challenge. You will see it throughout the rest of the thread, but not at the event coverage), 2 bilstein shocks (14) and grant steering wheel (5 may return). Reason being that we needed to cut the budget due to expected expenses (shifter, u-joints, fuel line tubing, hoses, electrical, steering box, linkages, etc). We are going to make it to the challenge. Maybe not with the car we had planned, but the one we built. I have purchased an adjustable brake bias valve (18, not budget exempt due to not stock replacement) and a roll of nicopp tubing (budget exempt for safety). I need to figure out what the 2 half used rolls of 3/8 steel fuel line tube are worth (current price for a 25 foot roll is 32 at the parts store, but im not sure that there's actually 25 foot worth left between the two. They have been in my storage for YEARS. I need to figure out what scraps of 3/8 fuel line are worth, as I have a box full of 4-8 inch pieces. Need to figure out what a used and noisy fuel pump is worth (i paid 13 for it new, was noisy as hell, pulled it off, got a refund from the seller, and replaced it with a different e2000 pump. Need to figure out what a cobbled together nitrous kit is worth (4 solenoids, 2 plates, an msd retard box, brackets, line, bottle, misc chunks that we cobbled together from leftovers in our sheds years ago and I bought from Dustin and dallas’s stashes for all you can eat Chinese dinner. I used the number 32 in my duster build thread when I got it back then, as I think thats what dinner cost me). Need to figure out what 2 used cans of ford blue, and a half used can of cast coat iron are worth. Please advise!!!

So when we got the ruling, dallas got to work. He pulled the accessories from the 5.0 and flexplate, and water pump (different for serpentine), sandblasted and painted. While he was at it, he painted the engine with 2 different cans and brands of ford blue that he had in the cabinet from when his dad restored a mustang, sandblasted and painted everything else that was loose. He ran out of blue before getting the valve covers done, so we shot those in black. Same with the crossmember, engine mounts, brackets, etc. All the concourse points at that challenge that we score will be because of his hard work doing restoration quality detailing. Im amazed at his dedication. Its also proven to be very therapeutic for him to clean and paint stuff, as it helps him to focus on something other than the divorce. Which is GOOD.

New challenge budget total: 1395.37 So, ive gotten the budget caught up with the spending. Heres pictures. The pull-a-part haul: Theres more there than what they charged us for, due to the fact that we were arrested. But only temporarily. For trespassing. See, the alarm for closing never went off, and we were drug out by the cops. When the manager figured out that we weren't lying thieves, she told us to come back in the morning (140 mile round trip) to pay, and that she would take care of us. She did. Only charged us for 3 cables, gave us the relays, gave us the u-joints, and knocked off the core on the steering box due to our inconvenience and their technical difficulties. Next, the haul of crap I pulled from my storage area. This thread explains how we came up at FMV for this. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/rambling-fmv-questions/126372/page1/
#post2232495 I fpund the console we pulled out of the AMC in my storage area. Under layers of crap I havent used in years. I dont know if it will fot or be useful, so it may just hit the scrap pile. The shifters. Floor shifters from an AOD ford product. Throttle return springs that didn't fit the duster. Got these at the autofair this past fall, and then forgot they existed. I think I gave 5 bucks.

No money weekend. And im tired. Been at it HARD. Dallas and I started 5:30 Friday night, quit at 1am. Steve and I started at 8am Saturday, we quit at 11 PM. Dallas and I started at 11AM today, Quit at 5:15. Were out of shielding gas, cut off wheels, flap discs, knotted wire wheels, and flat black spray paint. And coffee. Definitely out of coffee.

Anyway. Friday night we started on THE LIST. See. I have better luck and organization when I have a punch list. So I make them, on a yellow legal pad. No particular order of the list, just tasks to be finished. I then tape this list to the drivers side windshield. Cross stuff off as completed, make notes, add lines, etc. Very useful for me at the teammates. I had spent the last week working on the list, jotting stuff down at stoplights as I thought of it. It was two columns on the legal pad, whole length. Long list.

So, we started by cleaning out the pile of parts inside the car, organizing the pile in the shop, and cleaning the top of the workbench. Get ready to get ready, so to speak. We had the biggest piles being plumbing and dash parts. So we started there. We tried to fit the factory dash back in the car. Really did. It, however, just didn't work. By the time we clearanced enough to get around the downtubes up front, we had cut the whole end of the dash off, made the cluster unusable, and created a whole bunch of ugly. Oh well, it was heavy anyway. So its in the scrap pile (at least whats left) along with all the bits and pieces to it. One pile down. We did find the old 8 foot florescent light fixtures out there, though, and nabbed a piece of metal to try. I think I like it. But I know I can do a whole lot better. Ideas?

While I was doing this, Dallas began clearancing the rear bodywork. See, the sliders work great. But the nylon slider blocks hit the sheet metal behind the bumper under compression. They also needed to be retained by more than one bolt. At least according to Dallas. So he did some cutting, drilling, greasing, and finishing.

In that last picture, you can see some of the bmw battery cable. We decided on location for the battery and starter solenoid based mostly upon the lengths of were there. Battery is located where the passengers rear seat used to be. We also dug the battery box and kill switch out of storage, disposed of the rats nest that was in there, disinfected both, and decided o routing to the back bumper where the kill needs to live per NHRA rules. SCCA doesn't have a hard and fast rule except for accessible from outside the car. So, as in all rules, I am erring to the side of the more strict rule. Kill is right rear corner of the bumper. Box is a marine unit that is WAY too big for the batter we got out of the Lincoln, but its paid for (was in the car when I bought it, with the kill and a rubber battery hold down and a rats nest and some very rusty misc hardware inside it)

I also routed the fuel lines and mounted the tank. Apparently I didn't take pictures. So, next time im down there ill take some. However, take my word that its all there. My fuel pressure regulator came in Friday as well. Remember, this is the 29 dollar bypass regulator straight from china. I was absolutely shocked when I pulled it out of the box and it had aeromotive written on it. Looking closely at the machining, I think its either a knock off that has been blatantly obvious about who they copied, or a factory reject sold on ebay under a different name. Im hoping its a reject.

We also fitted the seats. Using 2x4 lumber, screws, and a sharpie, we found the correct placement, height, and angle. We will even be able to adjust them, and tie them into the factory seat locations. Good times. Now to make something not out of wood.

I also worked on the hood hinges some. Got them to fit after LIBERAL cutting and grinding. The rear stud on the hood still contacts the front downtube on the cage, not letting the hood close the whole way, but were close.

Called it a night after getting the hood on. Dallas had to work in the morning, and I needed to meet Steve.

Saturday morning, I got to the shop at about 8. Got the coffee going, and the wifi fixed so I could have my Pandora. Then broke out the nicopp 3/16 and tube nuts. Got the engine bay brake lines made and flared. I must say, nicopp is a pleasure to work with. Bends very easy, flares nicely, and doesn't see kinkable. Id heard great things, and so far they are all true. I will do the line to the rear axle in steel, just because im not convinced of the impact resistance of nicopp.

When I finished the lines, I moved onto fitting headers. They looked like a quick task.

Oh hell no.

The passengers side, with some slight persuasion of a 3lb sledgehammer fueled by Marlboro/coffee/Marilyn Manson, fit fine.

Drivers side, with even more severe beatings (crushed the offending tube all but closed) still wouldn't clear the steering column. So I set it aside to help Steve on the cage. We got everything but the door bars in

Steve had to leave to take his daughter to the daddy daughter dance at about the same time Dallas got done with the plumbing job. So Dallas and I picked up where Steve left off. The front suspension. Steve designed upper shock mounts with 1/8 and 1/4 plate from the scrap bin. They weld to the cage down tubes, and bolt into the factory upper shock mount. They eliminate the need for a strut tower bar, and really tie things together. Dallas and I finished welding those up, and welded up the lower plates. We had to clearance the factory spring pocket in the control arms so we could get the bottom bolts in, but once we got all the fiddly work done, this happened: \

Still need to finish welding, as we ran out of gas. And drill the holes for the upper mounts. Box the lower control arms, add some gussets to the strut rod brackets, and slam in the new steering box and the front is DONE.

Today, Dallas worked on getting the front clip re-installed, checking clearances with the race wheels and tires, attempting to use the set of curbed bullitt wheels I scored for 100, and de-lowering the rear suspension (far too low now that its going back together). I worked on that stupid, simple, easy header job. All day.

Heres proof of Dallas work (except for the de-lowered. No picture of that finished, just in progress):

Me, I fiddled with a header. Heres where we started. Cut the bashed in section out, and shaped with a flap wheel until it cleared the steering shaft by at least 1/8 inch. I then cut a CAD template out of construction paper, and wandered around looking for something of the right thickness to cut a patch out of. Dallas reminded me that the top of the water heater was pretty thick, and we hadn't used any yet. PERFECT!

After a while with a welder (Harbor freight flux core, as the good welder is out of gas), the last flap wheel, and a put of coffee, we got here.

Monday night, we got a late start. Reason being that I had to meet a couple of forum members from Michigan over in Winston Salem. They brought me a 50s era craftsman horizontal mill that I got from AngryCorvair. Its an awesome piece of equipment that I have no idea how to even operate, let alone use. If anyone here has some good links to the basics of using one of these (like what the knobs do, what the operations are, you know, first day machinist class stuff) I would welcome the threadjack. I believe its made by atlas, and I KNOW I will give it a full restoration and return it to service. Anyway, im super stoked. This is my first real metal working tool other than grinders and sawzalls. Should open up so many more possibilities.

So after we unloaded, we started working.

You will notice in the plumbing pictures that we used chunks of old heater hose that came with the car, and the 1/2 conduit clamps to secure to the frame rails. Also, you will notice one red, and one green metal line. There are 24 feet of steel line total in this car. In the budget was a 25 foot roll for 25.75. I bought that roll. I chose, however, to use two half rolls instead of the brand new roll. Rather use what I have on this car, and keep the brand new supply for next time. Also, there are no fuel lines in the trans tunnel, per NHRA rules, the regulator is mounted at the front of the engine (NHRA states that it cannot be within 6 inches of the firewall) and there is a total of 7 inches of rubber line in the whole system. (NHRA states no more than 12). Reason for NHRA speak is that the challenge rules states that the car must pass NHRA tech.

I worked on getting the worn out steering box out, and the new to us jeep grand Cherokee box in. I had found a few vague references to it being essentially a bolt in to the spirit chassis. I honestly didn't expect it to be. Surprise, it is!!! Same bolts, pitman arm fits, rag joint is the same, just hoses are different. But then again, im not surprised. 3.5 turns lock to lock, firm feel, and almost zero dead spot. Ive used the same box in many chevelles.

I also fitted a coolant overflow bottle that we dug out of the car. Judging by shape, I think this may be the only factory engine bay part other than the brake booster to remain with the car at this point. Anyone have ideas on how to un-yellow it?

Lastly, started making seat mounts. We had mocked up with chinks of 2x4 and plywood till we got the fit right. Then, taking highly accurate measurements with my yardstick, I transferred the measurements to metal. All stuff I had laying around, except for a couple of pieces of 1x1 all hole tube I got for a dollar a stick from my neighbor who was rebuilding a trailer. I sized them to pick up the factory seat mounts that had previously been welded up before I bought the car. Figure AMC knew what they were doing there, and that it was about the right spot after test fitting. The all hole metal is so that the seats can be somewhat adjustable fore and aft. After all, all the team members are different sizes and shapes. And also, adjustability is always nice when you are making it up as you go. It allowed us to fit the shifter, and I also used a few chunks of rollcage padding and my helmet to check cage clearance. All good here.

We did some stuff that didn't cost any money. Chipping away at that last 20% that takes the other 100% of the time.

First. We got the negative cable terminated to chassis ground. Forgot to take a picture pf that specifically, but you might can see it hanging out in the corner of other pictures. Second. We got the shifter mounted. Used a crap of strap steel mounted in front and bent to an angle, and 3 1/4 inch bolts run through the floor to act like studs. Still have to mount the cable to the transmission, as I couldn't wrap my head around it last night and was thinking it was too short. But had an epiphany that woke me up at about 3am, of flipping the shift lever over and coming in from the tailshaft end. Looking through some google images, it appears that's the way its supposed to work. Oops. Third. We got the last of the brake lines ran, and the prop valve in. Mounted the prop valve to the shifter, as it was easy and accessible. Rear hard line sleeved in surgical vinyl tubing that a nurse friend of mine gave me. Just wanted to protect it from harm.... I also strapped it down as much as seemed prudent to keep it from harm. All that's left on the brakes are new flex lines (budget exempt rubber parts) double check everything for tightness and proper lubrication, attach pushrod to brake pedal, attach brake pedal to clutch pedal for bigger pad for left foot braking, and bleed it. Lastly, we took a couple of pieces of angle iron and made rails to mount the seat to the seat brackets and still be adjustable. Yes, you have to loosen and remove 4 bolts to move it, so its not exactly convenient, but its doable. We also got the brackets mounted through the factory crossmember in the front, and spreader plates in the rear, as well as mounted the seat fully. Other seat will be completely fixed when it gets mounted. Next is steering column finishing, brake finishing, filling the last 3 holes in cowl and floor, and mounting the other seat. Then wiring and firing!

Weve been steadily getting our asses kicked. By a car. Thats supposed to be at track night in America on april 20th. That aint gonna happen. Just not going to make it.

So, heres what we have been doing. First up we scored a set of ex rockcrawler wheels from facebook marketplace. 15x10, curbing, 4.5 bolt circle, and 3.5 of backspacing. Supposedly they are bassett wheels, but I cant find any manufacturer stamping, and frankly don't care.

We promptly mounted up a set of f45 compound 27x10x15 hoosier circle track slicks that I got for free. They still have some life left in them, and are good enough for what we paid. They were immediately mounted to the car to test for fitment. We are going to have to do a little massaging to the sheetmetal. But only a smidge...

I gotta say, this makes me fantastically happy. I love monster rubber, and full wheel wells, and flares, and...... Anyway, we pulled them back off for now, as were not there yet. Putting the spec miata stuff back on made me sad....

We next went to work on hooking up the shifter. This should have been quick and easy. 10 crappity smacking hours later, after making bellcranks, extensions, brackets, etc, I ripped the ford thing out, threw it into the woods, and made my own darned shifter. I don't know what I have in it for budget purposes, as I had all this laying around. 1 inch wide 1/8 sheetmetal strap sock, angle iron from a bedframe, couple of bolts, a piece of an old cutting board, and a control rod from a totalled zero turn mower I bought the engine out of. But here it it in the final ford version that didn't work. And heres what I made that works perfect. 30 minutes from ripping ford stuff out to shifting gears. I need to figure out a way to add reverse lockout, and finish it for looks/safety, but its off the list. The next workaround we needed was a driveshaft. We had a couple in the car when we bought it, and one was close. Only 3 inches too long. We also had the loncoln driveshaft from the parts car. It was only 21 inches too long. We figured that people have been working on driveshafts for a hundred years, and that hell, its only metal. So we shortened the lincoln shaft. We ground/cut through the weld holding the yoke on, cut the driveshaft to length with a pipe cutter, squared it up the best we could, welded it on, and put it in. We also got our driveshaft safety loop welded in while we were doing this. Next was transmission cooler lines. We reused as much of the stock lincoln stuff as we could, because it is paid for. We had to add a little clearance for the lines to the trans tunnel. So, with the proper application of redneck ingenuity and leverage, we got there. We also put in our trans cooler. It came with 4 mounting straps (two in cooler, two in fan) and some hose, which was enough for the trans cooler and power steering cooler.

Got the fan mounted up, spliced the ford power steering pressure hose to the jeep power steering pressure hose, and plumbed in the power steering cooler. Also finally found an oil filter that fits. Dallas found a chunk of 16 gauge steel in the barn left over from god only knows, so we cut it and boxed our lower control arms with it. Somewhere in here, we decided we needed a dash. We grabbed that tan plastic thing we got from the dumpster at the autofair in the fall, and cut it till we liked it. Lastly, remounted the brake proportioning valve to a chunk of metal from the scrap metal pile. I think it was the old water storage heater bracket to the motorhome from when dad replaced it this fall. Tomorrow night is brake bleeding, cooling system install, and steering column finishing.